Footwear system

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a footwear system comprising a sock ( 10 ) having a pocket ( 24 ) formed within the wall ( 18 ) of the sock upper ( 16 ). The pocket ( 24 ) extends from the upper rim ( 20 ) towards the heel portion ( 14 ). An aperture ( 30 ) is formed in the sock upper ( 16 ) providing access to the pocket ( 24 ). The aperture ( 30 ) is narrower than the width of the pocket ( 24 ). A removable pad ( 32 ) is sized to fit snugly in the pocket ( 24 ).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a footwear system and in particular, to a sock padding system for use with shoes and sporting footwear.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Feet are susceptible to blistering and discomfort from footwear, particularly when the footwear is new. Socks provide some protection against blistering and discomfort however, this is often not sufficient to avoid blistering and significant discomfort. Blisters and other foot sores caused by uncomfortable footwear can become infected and may even become incapacitating.

The posterior region of the calcaneus, or heel bone, near the base of the Achilles tendon is an area of the foot, which is highly susceptible to blistering in new or stiff footwear. This is typically due to friction between the skin of the foot and the footwear as the foot moves within the footwear.

Protective coverings such as bandages or adhesive strips can be applied to the foot at the locations affected by the footwear to inhibit or prevent blistering and soreness. However, this can be time consuming and expensive if the protective coverings need to be replaced frequently. Allergy or irritation to adhesives can also prevent the use of adhesive protective coverings for some people.

Athletes and professional sportsmen and women often require new footwear on a regular basis for optimum performance. However, this can result in frequent blistering and discomfort and can become debilitating in severe cases. It is impractical and time consuming to regularly apply new protective coverings every time the footwear is used. Further, incorrect or inaccurate application of protective coverings can result in inadequate protection, leading to blistering and discomfort.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to substantially overcome or at least ameliorate one or more of the above disadvantages, or to provide a useful alternative.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a first aspect, the present invention provides a footwear system comprising:

-   -   a sock having a toe portion, a heel portion and a sock upper         having a wall and an upper rim, the upper rim defining an         opening for receiving a user's foot;     -   a pocket formed within the wall of the sock upper, the pocket         extending from the io upper rim towards the heel portion, the         pocket being bounded by the upper rim, a lower seam proximal to         the heel portion, and a pair of lateral seams joining the upper         rim to the lower seam and defining a width of the pocket between         the lateral seams;     -   an aperture formed in the sock upper providing access to the         pocket, the aperture being narrower than the width of the pocket         and being elastically deformable to stretch the size of the         aperture; and     -   a removable pad sized to fit snugly in the pocket, wherein the         pad is adapted to be inserted in, and removed from, the pocket         via the aperture in the upper rim, when the aperture is in an         elastically deformed, stretched state, and wherein the pad is         adapted to be retained snugly in the pocket by the upper rim and         the lower and lateral seams, when the aperture is in an         unstretched state, thereby inhibiting both movement of the pad         in the pocket and removal of the pad from the pocket.

In a preferred embodiment, the lower seam is contiguous with the heel portion of the sock, such that when the pad is inserted in the pocket and the sock is worn by a user in any shoe having a quarter that extends above the heel portion of the sock and a topline that sits below the upper rim of the sock upper, a portion of the pad extends below the topline of the shoe and a portion of the pad extends above the topline of the shoe.

Preferably, the aperture is formed in the upper rim of the sock upper.

Alternatively, the aperture is formed in an exterior surface of the wall of the sock upper. Preferably, the sock upper further comprises a cover flap provided adjacent to the aperture wherein the aperture is concealed by the cover flap. Further preferably, the cover flap is elastically deformable to allow access to the aperture by stretching the flap.

Preferably, the wall of the sock upper is comprises an outer layer and an interior lining and the pocket is formed between the outer layer and the interior lining. In one optional embodiment, the aperture is formed in the interior lining of the wall of the sock upper.

In a preferred embodiment, the lining is formed from nylon and the pad is formed from a foam padding material, such that friction and interference between the nylon lining and the foam pad inhibit movement of the pad in the pocket.

In a preferred embodiment, the pocket is substantially rectangular when laid flat and the removable pad is also substantially rectangular with length and width dimensions substantially corresponding to the pocket, such that when inserted into the pocket, the pad is retained snugly in the pocket.

Preferably, the pad is formed from a foam padding material. Alternatively, the pad is a gel packet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of specific example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an on-foot perspective view of a sock having a pocket for a removable pad;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the sock of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a flattened out side view of the sock of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a rear elevation view of the sock of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 depicts a removable pad for use in a footwear system with the sock of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an on-foot perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a sock;

FIG. 7 is a rear elevation view of the sock of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a rear elevation view of a further alternative embodiment of a sock; and

FIG. 9 is a top view of a further alternative embodiment of a sock.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As depicted in FIGS. 1 to 5, a footwear system comprises a sock 10 having a toe portion 12, a heel portion 14 and a sock upper 16. The sock upper 16 has a sock wall 18 and an upper rim 20, which defines an opening 22 for receiving a user's foot.

A pocket 24 is formed within the wall 18 of the sock upper 16. The pocket 24 is typically formed by an inner layer of nylon lining material, which forms an inner lining of the sock upper 16. Other stretch fabric (eg. cotton, polyester, wool, lyre, cotton-polyester) may also be used. The pocket 24 is stitched or seamed around it's periphery and extends from the upper rim 20 towards the heel portion 14, terminating at a lower seam 26 proximal to the heel portion 14. The pocket 24 is generally rectangular when the sock 10 is pressed flat and is bounded by the upper rim 20, the lower seam 26 and a pair of lateral seams 28 joining the upper rim 20 to the lower seam 26. The pocket 24 has a generally constant width extending between the parallel lateral seams 28.

An aperture 30 is formed in the upper rim 20 of the sock upper 16 providing access to the pocket 24. The aperture 30 is narrower than the width of the pocket 24 and is elastically deformable to allow the size of the aperture 30 to be stretched to enlarge the aperture 30.

As depicted in isolation in FIG. 5, the footwear system includes a removable pad 32 sized to fit snugly in the pocket 24. The pad 32 is generally rectangular with corresponding length and width dimensions to the pocket 24. The pad 32 is typically formed from a foam padding material. Alternatively, the pad 32 may be a gel packet.

The pad 32 is adapted to be inserted in, and removed from, the pocket 24 via the aperture 30 in the upper rim 20, when the aperture 30 is in an elastically deformed, stretched state. The pad 32 is adapted to be retained snugly in the pocket 24 by the upper rim 20, the lower seam 26 and the lateral seams 28, when the aperture 30 returns to an unstretched state.

The snug fitting of the pad 32 in the pocket 24 keeps the pad 32 in a fixed position. This inhibits movement of the pad 32 during use and also helps keep the pad in an appropriate position relative to footwear worn over the sock 10.

When a foam padding material is used for the pad 32 and the pocket 24 is formed from a nylon inner lining, friction and interference between the foam material of the pad 32 and the nylon lining of the pocket 24 further inhibit movement of the pad 32 in the pocket 24.

Turning to FIGS. 6 and 7, in an alternate embodiment of the footwear system, the sock 10 has an aperture 30 formed in the outer surface of the sock wall 18 rather than in the upper rim 20.

FIG. 8 depicts a further alternate embodiment of the footwear system, in which the sock upper 16 further includes a cover flap 34 provided adjacent to the aperture 30, which acts to conceal the aperture 30 from view. The cover flap 34 is elastically deformable to allow access to the aperture 30 by stretching the cover flap 34.

Turning to FIG. 9, in a further alternate embodiment of the footwear system, the sock 10 has an aperture 30 formed in the inner surface of the sock wall 18, rather than in the upper rim 20 or in the outer surface of the wall 18. This conceals the aperture 30 from view, when the sock 10 is in use.

In use, the removable pad 32 is inserted into the pocket 24 by stretching the aperture 30 to receive the removable pad 32. Once the removable pad 32 is arranged snugly in the pocket 24, the sock 10 is placed on the user's foot before placing the foot in a shoe, boot or other article of footwear. The location of the pocket 24 locates the removable pad 32 over the posterior region of the calcaneus, or heel bone, near the base of the Achilles tendon, providing cushioning and protection between the user's foot and the footwear.

Shoes typically comprise an upper that includes a quarter (ie. the rear section of the shoe's upper around the heel) and a vamp (ie. the front section of the shoe's upper). The top edge of the shoe's quarter is called the topline. It is the quarter and topline of a shoe that typically causes blistering or discomfort to the posterior region of the calcaneus.

The lower seam 26 is contiguous with the heel portion 14 of the sock 10. This location of the pocket 24 on the sock 10 ensures that for any shoe having a quarter that extends above the heel portion 14 of the sock 10 and a topline that sits below the upper rim 16 of the sock upper 14, the pad 32 sits partially above and partially below the topline of the shoe. This ensures that the pad 32 is positioned to extend from above the topline of the shoe right down to the heel portion 14 of the sock 10. This helps to prevent blistering and discomfort on the user's foot, such as that associated with the use of new footwear.

After use, the removable pad 32 can be removed from the pocket 24 for separate cleaning. Alternatively, the removable pad 32 can be discarded and replaced with a new removable pad 32. The sock 10 can advantageously be worn with or without the pad 32 inserted in the pocket 24. Without the pad 32 inserted in the pocket 24, the sock 10 acts like a regular sock.

Although the invention has been described with reference to specific examples, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms. 

1. A footwear system comprising: a sock having a toe portion, a heel portion and a sock upper having a wall and an upper rim, the upper rim defining an opening for receiving a user's foot; a pocket formed within the wall of the sock upper, the pocket extending from the upper rim towards the heel portion, the pocket being bounded by the upper rim, a lower seam proximal to the heel portion, and a pair of lateral seams joining the upper rim to the lower seam and defining a width of the pocket between the lateral seams; an aperture formed in the sock upper providing access to the pocket, the aperture being narrower than the width of the pocket and being elastically deformable to stretch the size of the aperture; and a removable pad sized to fit snugly in the pocket, wherein the pad is adapted to be inserted in, and removed from, the pocket via the aperture in the upper rim, when the aperture is in an elastically deformed, stretched state, and wherein the pad is adapted to be retained snugly in the pocket by the upper rim and the lower and lateral seams, when the aperture is in an unstretched state, thereby inhibiting both movement of the pad in the pocket and removal of the pad from the pocket.
 2. The footwear system of claim 1 wherein the lower seam is contiguous with the heel portion of the sock, such that when the pad is inserted in the pocket and the sock is worn by a user in any shoe having a quarter that extends above the heel portion of the sock and a topline that sits below the upper rim of the sock upper, a portion of the pad extends below the topline of the shoe and a portion of the pad extends above the topline of the shoe.
 3. The footwear system of claim 1 wherein the aperture is formed in the upper rim of the sock upper.
 4. The footwear system of claim 1 wherein the aperture is formed in an exterior surface of the wall of the sock upper.
 5. The footwear system of claim 4 wherein the sock upper further comprises a cover flap provided adjacent to the aperture and wherein the aperture is concealed by the cover flap.
 6. The footwear system of claim 5 wherein the cover flap is elastically deformable to allow access to the aperture by stretching the flap.
 7. The footwear system of claim 1 wherein the wall of the sock upper is comprises an outer layer and an interior lining and the pocket is formed between the outer layer and the interior lining.
 8. The footwear system of claim 7 wherein the aperture is formed in the interior lining of the wall of the sock upper.
 9. The footwear system of claim 7 wherein the lining is formed from nylon and the pad is formed from a foam padding material, such that friction and interference between the nylon lining and the foam pad inhibit movement of the pad in the pocket.
 10. The footwear system of claim 1 wherein the pocket is substantially rectangular when laid flat and the removable pad is also substantially rectangular with length and width dimensions substantially corresponding to the pocket, such that when inserted into the pocket, the pad is retained snugly in the pocket.
 11. The footwear system of claim 1 wherein the pad is formed from a foam padding material.
 12. The footwear system of claim 1 wherein the pad is a gel packet. 